AURORA, Ill. - The Regents men's volleyball team (1-14, 1-1 NACC) suffered its first NACC setback of the season on Wednesday night, falling 3-0 to the Aurora University Spartans (12-4, 2-1 NACC). Despite what the final score might suggest, Rockford battled hard and played well at various points throughout the match. However, the Spartans proved to be too much and went on to win in straight sets.
- The Regents got off to a slow start in the first set, with Aurora taking an early 12-6 lead.
- However, Rockford was able to score the next five points and pull back within one, at 12-11. Four of the five points came off the serve of Randall Simental, including one service ace.
- With Aurora still clinging to a slim 19-17 advantage late in the set, the Spartans scored six of the final seven points for the 25-18 win.
- The second set pretty much belonged to the Spartans from start to finish. Aurora jumped out to a quick 7-3 lead and never looked back. The Spartans led by as many as ten points en route to a 25-15 win.
- Rockford played much better in the third and final set, including leading multiple times.
- The Regents scored four of the first seven points, capped off by a Jeremy Weaver kill and took a 4-3 lead.
- Unfortunately, the Spartans responded with an 8-2 run of their own to take an 11-6 advantage.
- Rockford answered right back with a quick 2-0 run to make it 11-8.
- The Spartans would eventually extend their lead back to six at 19-13.
- However, Rockford did not make it easy on Aurora. The Regents used a 5-2 run capped off by a Jose Padron Garcia kill, to make it a 21-18 game.
- Unfortunately, Aurora scored the final four points of the set, to win the match 3-0.
- Jose Padron Garcia turned in one of his best performances of the season. Padron Garcia tallied 9 kills with a .278 hitting percentage, 8 digs, 2 assists, 1 solo block and 1 block assist.
- Jorge Pando tallied 16 assists, 3 digs, 1 solo block and 1 kill.
- Randall Simental added 4 kills, 1 ace and 1 dig.
The RU men's volleyball team hits the road on Friday, March 13 to face Maranatha Baptist University. The match has a scheduled start time of 7 PM.
